Clinical Vampirism
by Jillian K
Summary: AU/ AH? maybe.  Every Wednesday night Sookie visits her husband who tries to convince her that he is a vampire and that she can read minds.  Angst and mental issues. Completed.


Title: Clinical Vampirism

Author: Jillian K.

Disclaimer: Southern Vampire Mysteries belong to Charlaine Harris and her publishers. This story is intended for entertainment purposes only.

Summary: AU/ AH?(maybe) Every Wednesday night Sookie visits her husband who tries to convince her that he is a vampire and that she can read minds. Angst and mental issues.

Sookie carried a tray of chicken baskets to her remaining table and with an apologetic smile told Andy Bellefleur and his girlfriend Halleigh Robinson that Arlene would take care of them if they needed anything else. Andy looked slightly put off but Halleigh smiled back and patted her hand. Everyone in Bon Temps knew why the waitress left work early on Wednesday nights.

"Tell him we all miss him and hope he is back here soon" Halleigh said sympathetically.

Sookie nodded and swallowed the lump that had lodged itself in her throat. She hurried over to her boss' office and retrieved her purse from the lower desk drawer. Sam was away at some bar tradeshow in New Orleans and would not be returning until tomorrow afternoon. He'd agreed to cutting her shift short and for that she was very grateful.

She waved to Arlene and ran out of the bar towards her small yellow car. She'd been forced to sell his when the insurance refused to pay beyond four months at the private hospital. They'd wanted him to be transferred to the cheaper state run facility in Mandeville but she wouldn't let them. After Katrina their budget had suffered major cuts and she couldn't risk her husband having to be put in a place where he might not get all the help that he needed. He deserved more than that although she knew that she would probably have to put her house on the market before the year ended if things did not change. Sookie didn't care because as much as she loved her old farmhouse she loved him so much more.

It was times like this that she missed her Gran the most. Adele would have told her that everything would be alright and she'd have believed her. She'd liked him a lot too and she would likely be sitting next to her as she pushed the car to make it to Shreveport before eight.

At 7:50 Sookie pulled into the small parking lot and into her customary spot away from the main entrance. She wanted some privacy to change into her shoes and put on a little makeup. If she only got to see him once a week she wanted to look her best for him. She sprayed some Velvet Tuberose fragrance mist hoping that it would cloud five solid hours of slinging burgers and beer.

With a deep sight she locked her purse in her trunk and took out the paper bag with the new t-shirts and sweat pants she'd gotten for him at Walmart. The hospital only allowed him clothes that did not have buttons or zippers. Sookie longed to see him in his beautiful lamb skin leather jacket that made her and every other female in the vicinity weak in the knees.

She locked her car, pocketed her keys and carried her bag to the entrance lobby where the other visitors were already assembled. The blond nodded to the people she recognized from the months of shared visiting days. They were a somber crowd and all smiles were reserved for the loved ones that were waiting for them behind the walls.

The security guard made each of them walk through a metal detector. The keys had to be confiscated and placed in small plastic baggies to be retrieved when the hour ended. Sookie held tight onto her bag which was searched by hand. She'd already removed the tags and used a indelible marker to put his name on each piece of clothing.

The security guard motioned for her to go on and she stopped in front of the desk where the second guard, this time a middle aged woman, asked her to sign in and gave her a temporary ID sticker.

"Well hello again dear. I see you've brought him presents" the woman said kindly having known Sookie for many months now.

"Just a few t-shirts and pants. Last time I saw that he was getting a little ragged around the edges"

"Oh the poor dear. Such a handsome man and so neat. He is one of the few that keeps his room spotless and he gets so happy when he knows that you're coming. Well let me not keep you so just go on ahead"

Sookie said good bye and continued down the hall until the next locked doorway. Her ID sticker and that of her companions were checked and they were let in after the guard scanned his badge into the locking apparatus.

There was one more doorway to go and she hurried her steps. The nurse at the end of the hall greeted her and took the package to be delivered directly into his room. An orderly would put the clothing away inside his drawers while they were in the visitation room.

The final door was opened and she stepped inside.

No matter how many years they'd been married seeing him always made her heart beat a little faster. He was sitting in one of the tables on the left side of the room. His head was down and his hands were flat on the table. His longish blond hair shadowed his features but she could sense the sadness even from where she was standing. She quickened her steps until she was standing in front of him"

"Eric"

His blue eyes met hers and the darkness lifted. "Lover!"

He'd taken to calling her that although she kept reminding him that technically his wife could not also be his lover but the endearment stuck. She found that she didn't care if it made him happy. Few things made him happy anymore.

She was enveloped in his large arms with their matching plastic ID bracelets. He was no longer allowed his wedding ring so she wore his around her neck. They weren't supposed to kiss but he snuck in a quick nuzzle and a lick of her lips before they sat down again.

Sookie longed to be by his side but the rules clearly stated that they had to have the table between them at all times. So she sat down and he did the same. "I got you some more clothes. They should be in your room when you get back."

Eric's smile faded from his face. "You're not taking me home tonight?" he asked softly.

This time she dropped her gaze. "No baby. Not tonight but soon I promise. You just need to keep taking your meds and going to your therapy and the doctor will let you come back home."

"I don't belong here Sookie. I'm not a madman"

"Nobody said you were. It's just that you're a little confused right now but it will clear up if you do what the doctors say"

His hands shook a little so she took them in hers. "They keep telling me that I am suffering from a delusion. Sookie it's not a delusion it's a spell that the witch Hallow cast on me. She wanted part of my bar's revenue but I wouldn't give in so she did this."

"Baby there no such thing as witches and you don't own a bar. You tend bar for Sam and that's how we met remember?"

He shook his head. "We met at Fangtasia when Bill brought you over so that you could read the patron's minds."

"Bill's never taken me anywhere. We're not friends, just neighbors and I can't read minds Eric- most of the time I don't even know what I'm thinking" she said trying to make things seem lighter. He didn't take the bait.

"My lover you have to get me out of here and you have to remember. Contact Pam and she'll help you. She knows of a coven that can counteract the spell."

Sookie bit her lower lip. "Your sister is in London but she'll come home for the holidays. I talked to your doctor on the phone and he thinks you can come for a day visit if you take meds beforehand. Wouldn't that be great? We'll be together for Christmas morning"

"I sleep in the mornings and I would burn if I were taken out of here. Sookie please remember. This is not me. I'm not human and I haven't been for a thousand years. The witch changed everything and made us believe that this is our reality." He was growing increasingly agitated and Sookie motioned wordlessly for the nurse who nodded and dialed for some assistance.

"Eric you are just a regular man. We both are just regular people with normal problems. There is nothing special about me. I'm just waitress from Bon Temps who was lucky enough to find the love of her life and I can't stand to see you suffer like this."

The desperate anguish in his face broke her heart in a million pieces. "Please take me out of here my lover. I will die if I have to stay any longer. The pills that they are giving me make everything so confusing and what they tell me is untrue. Nothing I see around me is real and I feel that I cannot even trust myself anymore."

"I can't baby, not yet. It's not safe for you outside but I'll come to see you every week until you get better, I promise" Sookie's voice broke and the tears that she'd been holding back tracked down her face spoiling her makeup.

Defeated he dropped his head on his folded arms and his shoulders shook. He was trapped and not even the woman he loved would believe him.

The nurse had brought a psychiatrist and the lab-coated woman calmly walked to the broken man. When she spoke her voice was even and soothing.

"Mr. Northman would you like to be taken back to your room now?"

Eric looked up and he nodded not looking at his wife. Sookie flinched at his rejection but watched as he followed the doctor meekly. A tall male orderly was waiting for them outside the entrance just in case the patient refused to be taken to his room. Sookie watched as the man who was convinced he was a vampire walked away from her.

Tomorrow morning she'd call his doctor to check on him. The doctor would tell her that he was not responding to treatment and he needed a change in medication but that would bring further complications. There were days where she would visit and he was so doped up that he could not even raise his head to look at her. He never made it home for Christmas. It got so painful that Sookie would come every other week and eventually only once a month. She sold her house and when that money ran out she had to let them put him in that hospital Mandeville. Since it was too far she'd only make it on his birthday and during the holidays. Years later she married Sam and then she stopped coming altogether.

Somewhere in Shreveport, Marnie Stonebrook cackled in delight.

The End.

I have no idea where this came from. I was literally updating my other story when I went off in a tangent and this resulted. Thank you for reading and I am sorry for the angst-overload. Will try to write something happier next. Also this story is dedicated to my mother who is a nurse at a mental health facility and whose compassion and strenght humbles me.


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